Portico adds mural to downtown landscape

A new three story-tall mural, visible to traffic along Florida Avenue, covers the entire south wall of a building at the Portico, an emerging downtown gathering space being developed by Hyde Park United Methodist Church. Courtesy of The Portico

The Portico, an outreach of Hyde Park United Methodist Church, recently unveiled For the Love of THIS City, a three- story mural signifying the history and connectedness of Tampa's communities.

The artwork created by local artist collaborative Illsol, Michelle Sawyer and Tony Krol, covers the entire south wall of the Portico, 1001 N Florida Ave.

It features alligators, a rooster and other symbolic images representing Tampa's roots, wildlife and evolving city scene.

The mural is the second major art installation at the Portico, following the February dedication of Homeless Jesus, a sculpture by Timothy Schmalz.

"The mural and sculpture support The Portico's mission to provide a space where art can spark a discussion, speak to the heart of humanity and illustrate important issues in our world," said Justin LaRosa, Portico minister.

In addition to hosting spiritual and religious events, the Portico aims to serve as a downtown gathering place. Current events include porch potlucks, meditation and Sunday evening services. A café will open in the fall.

For the Love of This City, painted in vivid reds, blues and blacks, fits with the Portico's theme, to bring people together and bridge gaps within Tampa Bay.

Illsol also created the mural at Café Hey, located in Historic Tampa Heights.

washingtonAs Deadline looms, Budget talks run into some snags Capitol Hill Democrats have rejected a White House bid to extend protections for so-called Dreamer immigrants in exchange for $25 billion in funding for President Donald Trump’s long-soug...

PORT CHARLOTTE — Blake Snell is making his best pitch.Not the 95-mph fastball at the knees that opposing batters flail at. Nor the slow curve that leaves them trudging back to the dugout.This is the one where he stands at his locker in the Rays...

Calvary Christian moved quickly to find a football coach, announcing the hiring of Alonso's Reggie Crume on Monday.Crume leaves the Ravens after one season to take over for Todd Yoder, who stepped down three weeks ago to pursue coaching opportunities...

NEW PORT RICHEY — Deputies arrested a Dunedin man on Sunday who was on the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office’s "prolific offender’’ list.James Edward Boyle, 50, was being held Monday in the Pasco County Jail in lieu of $134,300 bail for 11 felony and mis...

MOSCOW — A day after his not-at-all-surprising landslide win in Russia’s presidential election, Vladimir Putin slipped comfortably into a favored role Monday: that of the magnanimous victor.In an ornate conference room deep inside the Kremlin, with g...

RIVERVIEW — When Walter Ballard ran into his buddy Ronnie Oneal four days ago, nothing about him foreshadowed the horror that was to come."He was good," Ballard recalled. "We were just catching up."Then, on Sunday night, Ballard got a call from his 1...

TAMPA — Two Tampa police officers went early Monday to arrest a man on a warrant that accused him of illegally owning guns and threatening his family.They didn’t know that Walter Richard Jeziorski III had in his home an assault rifle, a pistol and 30...

WASHINGTON — A lawyer who has suggested that FBI officials were part of a "brazen plot" to exonerate Hillary Clinton and frame Donald Trump has been added to the president’s legal team. Joseph diGenova, a former United States attorney in the District...